Already carving out their imprint on the festival calendar and continuing to rack up the awards, Two Black Boys in Paradise—available to watch on Channel 4 as part of the Iris Prize’s Best British collection—is also nominated for Best British Short at the upcoming British Independent Film Awards. The animated adaptation of Dean Atta’s poignant poem created by Baz Sells and Ben Jackson’s One6th Animation Studio, and narrated by UK musician Jordan Stephens, is engrossing film lovers and festival juries across the board. A five-year journey where personal history, artistic vision, and a shared mission for authentic representation fused to create something truly singular. Part of the film’s undeniable power stems from the distinct yet harmonious voices of its three key creators. For director Sells, the project was an exercise in visual alchemy, charged with the responsibility of translating the lyrical vulnerability of Atta’s words into a tangible, Edenic space. His approach to the film’s two contrasting worlds—a nuanced, sometimes oppressive reality and a vibrant, liberated paradise—showcases a deep understanding of how stop-motion’s inherent magic can make emotional journeys feel both universal and intimately personal.
The soul of Two Black Boys in Paradise was seeded long before the first puppet was constructed, beginning with writer Atta’s original piece, a work that proved richly fertile ground, blossoming from spoken word into cinematic captivation. Atta’s emphasis on hope and the possibility of happiness for queer Black youth provides the film’s unwavering heartbeat, challenging a media landscape where such joyful narratives are still regrettably rare. Orchestrating this symphony of creativity was producer and co-writer Jackson, whose personal connection to the material fuelled a dedication to emotional honesty. His role ensured that the script was not just an adaptation, but a tapestry woven from the lived truths and shared queer experiences of all three creatives, resulting in a nuanced coming-out story that feels deeply authentic. In our conversation below, we sit down with Sells, Atta, and Jackson, who share insights on the delicate art of animating intimacy with puppets, the logistical ballet of sustaining a years-long passion project, and the profound impact of building a cinematic paradise that offers solace, celebration, and a powerful sense of being seen.
When they’re underwater and the locks are flowing, it took my breath away. I want that moment in my life.
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